NFC on Windows Phone

NFC stands for near field communication, a technology that allows two devices to "talk" to each other wirelessly at close range.

Tap two phones together to share via NFC

Note

This topic is about Windows Phone 8.1. If your phone is running Windows Phone 8, some options and icons may look a little different, and some features may not be available. Check to see which software version you have and find out if an update is available.

NFC isn't available on all phones. If you don't see the Settings options described in this topic, then your phone hardware probably doesn't have an NFC chip inside.

Here are some of the ways you can use NFC with Windows Phone:

Tap to share photos and more. Tap your phone to another NFC-capable device to quickly share photos, contacts, web addresses, and other things.

Tap to pair with another device. Tap your phone to an NFC-capable accessory (such as a pair of speakers or headphones) to pair it with your phone for Bluetooth communication.

Tap a tag to receive info. Tap your phone to an NFC-capable tag (such as a poster or business card) to open a website or an app.

Tap to make payments and other transactions. If your phone and mobile operator support it, you can set up credit or debit cards to pay for things in stores that offer this service.

To turn on NFC

In the App list, tap Settings

.

Tap NFC

, and then do one of the following:

Turn on Tap to share

to enable NFC sharing and pairing.

Turn on Tap to pay

to enable NFC transactions if your phone supports it.

Note

To turn on NFC sharing (Tap to share) in Windows Phone 8, in the App list, tap Settings